MINI SESSIONS
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE – SCHOOL AGE
Click on the month to see what’s on
January
Pulse and Rhythm Basics – All Beginners
Monday 18 and 25 January
5-5.30pm GMT
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Tutor: Elsa Bradley
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Participants: Beginners of any instrument and also accessible to those who do not play an instrument. These sessions are recommended for primary age children
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Registration Fee: £6 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Sunday 17 January
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Information will be sent by Monday 18 January
Elsa Bradley
Ideal for young people beginning their musical journeys, this 2-part series will introduce basic rhythm in a fun and engaging way. Join percussionist Elsa Bradley as we explore pulse and rhythm. These sessions are accessible to all beginners.
Introduction to Harmony – All Musicians
Monday 18 and 25 January
6-6.45pm GMT
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Tutor: Robin Michael
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Participants: All instrumentalists, recommended for age 8+ and approximately a minimum playing level of Grade 3. An awareness of basic key signatures would be beneficial
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Registration Fee: £9 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Sunday 17 January
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Information will be sent by: Monday 18 January
This 2-part series will help develop your understanding of basic harmony. Join Robin Michael as we explore keys, key signatures, chords, why we play the notes we play and how it all links together.
Robin Michael
Violin and Viola Left-Hand Reset - All Upper Strings
Tuesday 19 and 26 January
5.15-6pm GMT
Join Nicola Benedetti for a 2-part reset for the left hand. We’ll be going back to basics and looking at the fundamentals of left-hand playing technique. Ideal for intermediate and advanced players wishing to readdress and reset, as well as younger beginners just starting out.
Nicola Benedetti
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Tutors: Nicola Benedetti
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Participants: Violinists and Violists – all stages. Young beginners should ideally have a parent with them for support during the session
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Registration Fee: £15 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form
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Closing Date: Monday 18 January
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Information will be sent on: Tuesday 19 January
Left and Right-Hand Reset - All Cellists & Basses
Tuesday 19 and 26 January
6.30-7pm GMT
Join David Munn (cello) and Alice Kent (bass) for a 2-part reset for the right and left hand. We’ll be going back to basics and looking at the fundamentals of both left-hand playing and right-hand bowing techniques. Ideal for advanced beginners and intermediate level players, as well as more advanced players wishing to readdress and reset, and younger beginners just starting out. Cellists and Basses will work in separate groups for the majority of the sessions.
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Tutors: David Munn (cello) and Alice Kent (double bass)
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Participants: Cellists and Basses – all stages. Young beginners should ideally have a parent with them for support during the session
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Registration Fee: £6 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Monday 18 January
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Information will be sent on: Tuesday 19 January
Alice Kent
David Munn
Introduction to Conducting – All Musicians Age 15+
Saturday 23 and 30 January
3-4pm GMT
Working with Natalia Luis-Bassa and Alex Laing, these sessions will introduce and explore basic conducting technique. Ideal for older teenagers, music students, recent graduates and teachers.
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Tutors: Natalia Luis-Bassa and Alex Laing
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Participants: Young Musicians aged 15+, music students, recent graduates and teachers
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Registration Fee: £12 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Wednesday 20 January
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Information will be sent on: Friday 22 January
Alex Laing
Natalia Luis-Bassa
Exploring Duo Sonatas for Violin and Piano
Saturday 30 January and 6 February
4.30-5.30pm GMT
Join violinist Elena Urioste and pianist Tom Poster for the first part of a new series exploring sonatas for violin and piano. We’ll be exploring the give-and-take, collaborative phrasing and beauty of sound in Brahms Sonata for Piano and Violin in G major. Then on week two discovering more about Debussy Sonata for Violin and Piano as we look at creative use of tone colour, characterisation and different approaches to French and German music. These sessions are aimed at advanced violinists and pianists and are open to older teenagers (recommended approx. age 15+), students and teachers.
Younger advanced violinists and pianists interested in attending these sessions may join with written permission from a parent/carer – please contact us before registering
Tom Poster
Elena Urioste
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Tutors: Elena Urioste and Tom Poster
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Participants: Advanced Violinists and Pianists – young people aged 15+, music students, recent graduates and teachers
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Registration Fee: £12 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Thursday 28 January
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Information will be sent on: Friday 29 January
February
Scale Exploration – Intermediate Upper Strings
Tuesday 2 and 9 February
5.30-6pm GMT
Join us for a 2-part scales exploration for intermediate violinists and violists. We’ll be exploring patterns, practise techniques, and sharing top tips and tricks for working with scales in fun and engaging ways.
Andrea Gajic
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Tutor: Andrea Gajic
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Participants: Intermediate Violinists and Violists (approx. Grade 3-6 level players)
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Registration Fee: £6 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form
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Closing Date: Thursday 28 January
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Information will be sent by: Friday 29 January
Scale Exploration – Intermediate Cello and Double Bass
Tuesday 2 and 9 February
6.30-7pm GMT
Join us for a 2-part scales exploration for intermediate cellists and double basses. We’ll be exploring patterns, practise techniques, and sharing top tips and tricks for working with scales in fun and engaging ways.
Stewart Wilson
David Munn
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Tutors: David Munn (cello) and Stewart Wilson (double bass)
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Participants: Intermediate Cellists and Double Basses (approx. Grade 3-6 level players)
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Registration Fee: £6 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Thursday 28 January
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Information will be sent on: Friday 29 January
Memorisation – All Musicians
Thursday 4 February
6-7pm GMT
Laura van der Heijden
Nicola Benedetti
This one-off session on memorisation is ideal for intermediate and advanced level players. During this session, we will be exploring a variety of strategies, methods and memorisation techniques. Younger, beginner players may also find this session useful, and we would recommend a parent/carer should join with younger players.
Rachel Cooper
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Tutors: Nicola Benedetti, Laura van der Heijden and Rachel Cooper
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Participants: Intermediate and Advanced Musicians. Younger beginners are equally welcome to join, and should ideally have a parent with them for support during the session
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Registration Fee: £12 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Tuesday 2 February
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Information will be sent on: Wednesday 3 February
Improving Improvisation – All Instrumentalists
Saturday 6 and 13 February
1.30-2.30pm GMT
Working with jazz pianist and renowned teacher, Richard Michael, we will be exploring how to improve and develop our confidence with improvisation. These sessions are open to all instrumentalists, all levels.
Richard Michael
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Tutor: Richard Michael
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Participants: All instrumentalists
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Registration Fee: £12 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Wednesday 3 February
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Information will be sent by: Thursday 4 February
Approaching Sight Reading – Beginner Strings
Monday 8 and 15 February
5.30-6pm GMT
These two sessions will cover sight reading tips and tricks for beginner string players. Join Rachel Cooper (violin) and Stewart Wilson (double bass) as we explore where to start when learning to sight read.
Stewart Wilson
Rachel Cooper
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Tutors: Rachel Cooper (violin) and Stewart Wilson (double bass)
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Participants: Beginner Strings – from complete beginner to approx. Grade 2, but open to anyone who would like to revisit beginner sight reading tips
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Registration Fee: £6 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form
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Closing Date: Thursday 4 February
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Information will be sent on: Friday 5 February
Approaching Sight Reading – Intermediate Strings
Monday 8 and 15 February
6.30-7pm GMT
These two sessions will cover sight reading tips and tricks for intermediate string players. Join Ruth Nelson and Jo Bradley as we explore where to start when developing your sight reading at an intermediate level.
Ruth Nelson
Jo Bradley
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Tutors: Ruth Nelson and Jo Bradley
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Participants: Intermediate Strings – from complete approx. Grade 3-5, but open to anyone who would like to explore intermediate sight-reading tips
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Registration Fee: £6 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Thursday 4 February
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Information will be sent on: Friday 5 February
Advanced Vibrato Reset – Upper Strings
Tuesday 16 and 23 February
6-6.45pm GMT
Working with Nicola Benedetti and Andrea Gajic, these sessions will support violinists and violists to reset and readdress their technique before exploring further advanced vibrato skills.
Andrea Gajic
Nicola Benedetti
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Tutors: Nicola Benedetti and Andrea Gajic
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Participants: Advanced Upper Strings – approx. Grade 6+
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Registration Fee: £15 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Friday 12 February
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Information will be sent on: Monday 15 February
Advanced Vibrato Reset – Cellists
Tuesday 16 and 23 February
7.15-8pm GMT
Working with Robin Michael, these sessions will support cellists to reset and readdress their technique before exploring further advanced vibrato skills.
Robin Michael
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Tutor: Robin Michael
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Participants: Advanced cellists – approx. Grade 6+
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Registration Fee: £9 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Friday 12 February
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Information will be sent by: Monday 15 February
March
Beginner Upper String Posture – Beginner Violin and Viola
Monday 1 and 8 March
5-5.30pm GMT
Working with Rachel Cooper and Joelle Broad, these sessions will support beginner violin and viola players to develop good playing posture. This is perfect for those who have only just begun, but equally accessible for beginners who have been playing for a while and would like to reset and refocus on their instrument and bow position.
Joelle Broad
Rachel Cooper
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Tutors: Rachel Cooper and Joelle Broad
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Participants: Beginner Violin and Viola – complete beginners are welcome to attend. We would recommend a parent/carer should be present with younger beginners
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Registration Fee: £6 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Wednesday 24 February
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Information will be sent on: Thursday 25 February
Introduction to Shifting Upper Strings – Intermediate Violin and Viola
Monday 1 and 8 March
6-6.45pm GMT
These sessions will support intermediate violin and viola players to develop shifting technique. This is suitable for those who have only just begun to learn to shift, but equally accessible for those who have been playing for a while and would like to reset and refocus their shifting technique. We would advise all participants to check with your teacher before signing up on these sessions, especially if you have not yet begun this technique.
Alex Laing
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Tutor: Alex Laing
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Participants: Intermediate Violin and Viola
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Registration Fee: £9 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Wednesday 24 February
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Information will be sent by: Thursday 25 February
Interpretation and Analysis – Advanced Violin (age 15+)
Tuesday 2 and 9 March
7.30-8.30pm GMT
In these sessions we will help you to develop a greater understanding of what is happening in the music and how this shapes the way it can be interpreted. We will be focusing on two pieces of violin repertoire: Allemande from Bach’s D minor Partita and Mozart Violin Concerto in G major, movement 1. Through these two pieces of repertoire, Alex will share how simple musical analysis and understanding of context can shape ideas of interpretation and improve a performer’s ability to memorise and tell a convincing story. These sessions are suitable for young people approximately age 15+, music students, recent graduates and instrumental teachers.
Please note: it is not necessary for you to have played these pieces to attend the sessions
Alex Laing
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Tutor: Alex Laing
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Participants: Advanced Violinists (age 15+), music students, recent graduates and instrumental teachers
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Registration Fee: £12 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Thursday 25 February
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Information will be sent by: Monday 1 March
Interpretation and Analysis – Advanced Cello (age 15+)
Tuesday 2 and 9 March
6-7pm GMT
In these sessions we will help you to develop a greater understanding of what is happening in the music and how this shapes the way it can be interpreted. We will be focusing on two pieces of cello repertoire: Prelude, Sarabande and Gigue from Bach’s 1st Cello Suite and Haydn Cello Concerto in C major, movement 1. Through these two pieces of repertoire, Robin will explore how simple musical analysis and understanding of context can shape ideas of interpretation and improve a performer’s ability to memorise and tell a convincing story. These sessions are suitable for young people approximately age 15+, music students, recent graduates and instrumental teachers.
Robin Michael
Please note: it is not necessary for you to have played these pieces to attend the sessions
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Tutor: Robin Michael
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Participants: Advanced Cellists (age 15+), music students, recent graduates and instrumental teachers
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Registration Fee: £12 (financial support is available – please indicate on the registration form
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Closing Date: Thursday 25 February
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Information will be sent by: Monday 1 March
Exploring Brahms' Cello and Piano Sonatas
Thursday 4 and 11 March
7.30-8.30pm GMT
Join cellist Leonard Elschenbroich and pianist Alexei Grynyuk for a two part series exploring Brahms' Piano and Cello sonatas. During these sessions, we'll be delving into the relationship between piano and cello, the context and character of the repertoire, interpretation and analysis of some chosen movements, as well as hearing performances from Leonard and Alexei. These sessions are for advanced cellists and pianists and are open to older teenages (recommended approx. age 15+), students, teachers and advanced adult players.
Younger advanced cellists and pianists interested in attending these sessions may join with written permission from a parent/carer. Please contact info@benedettifoundation.org before registering.
Leonard Elschenbroich
Alexei Grynyuk
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Tutors: Leonard Elschenbroich (cello) and Alexei Grynyuk (piano)
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Participants: Advanced Cellists and Pianists - young people aged 15+, music students, recent graduates, teachers and advanced adult players
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Registration Fee: £15 (financial support is available - please indicate on the registration form)
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Closing Date: Tuesday 2 March
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Information will be sent on: Wednesday 3 March